Propylene from Ethylene by Disproportionation

This review examines the economics of converting ethylene to propylene according to Phillips Petroleum's disproportionation process. ARCO recently placed in operation a 300 million lb/yr propylene plant based on this technology.

SRI concludes that the process is suitable only in situations in which a propylene need must be met in spite of high cost, or in localities where the price of propylene is significantly higher than that of ethylene. Situations may exist in which the cost of ethane for ethylene production is so low compared with that of propane or liquid feedstocks that producing propylene by this process is more economical than producing ethylene and propylene from the higher priced feed-stocks.